Kenya's macademia nuts risk export ban over quality

Farmers display samples of macadamia nuts in Gatitu Village in Nyeri on March 22,2023. [File, Standard]

Kenya's macadamia nuts risk being locked out of the export market if players in the value chain compromise the standards.

The nut stakeholders have been warned that the produce in various stages in the value chain will undergo checks, to ensure quality is maintained to satisfy the international market.

In the meeting convened by Nut Traders Association Chairman Johnson Kihara and farmers groups from Mt Kenya region, in Sagana, to deliberate on the impact of  Section 43 of AFA Act 2013, they observed it was the bottleneck to exporting of the in-shell nuts.

Kihara said the processors have been warned against allowing immature nuts in their premises.

“The marketing agents and the processors have installed scanners that reject the poor quality nuts in the packaging rooms,” he said.

He said the export of in shell that was allowed by the former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi expires on November 2, a move likely to affect the local nut prices.

The official said last year the farmers opted to hawk the produce after collapse of the overseas market.

“The farmers must demand the over removal of the section as over the years has affected the nut prices in Kenya,” said Kihara.

Joshua Muriera a farmer from Meru said it was wrong for the government to continue using the regulations that have a negative impact on the farmers.

“The Government should repeal the section as lifting the ban at the time of the criss will not help,” said Muriera.

Njiru Kathangu, a farmers leader from Embu, pleaded with Mt Kenya politicians to fight for the repeal of the punitive regulations in the agriculture sector.

“AFA has continued to oppress the farmers through the oppressive regulations that narrows the market space,” said Kathangu.

Kihara said challenges facing the nut sector include farmers continuing to use the indigenous varieties that are less productive, uncontrollable diseases and pests, post handling facilities and storage structures.
“The government should introduce high yielding varieties and fast maturing macadamia trees and help in the control of diseases,” he said.

In the forum, the marketing agents raised concern over the penetration of the market by the Chinese traders performing the aggregation services.

They said it was absurd that the presence of Chinese has displaced marketing agents as they are buying the same from the farmers.

A nut processor, Ndirangu Nyorotha, based in Sagana town, said there was a need for the farmers to ensure they harvest mature nuts to avoid incurring losses.

“The market is alert to ensure only mature nuts are allowed entry into China with China setting the pace,” said Ndirangu.

Simon Maina an export analyst told the farmers to ensure they harvest manure nuts as the global market is alert on tricks employed by the traders.

“The scanners and X rays have been installed in many of the processing plants to flush out the immature nuts packaged  by the farmers owing to the conditions imposed by the market,’ said Maina.

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